Govt proposes independent Commission to recommend MPs’ salaries

Andhra Pradesh:The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has proposed a 3-member independent Emoluments Commission to recommend salaries and other allowances for the Members of Parliament. This proposal is contained in the Agenda Notes prepared by the Ministry for the two day All India Whips’ Conference to be held at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh during September 29-30, 2015. The Conference will be chaired by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu.

Various parties in Parliament and state legislatures will also discuss establishing inter-Party forums in Legislatures for better coordination to enable effective functioning of legislative bodies. Delegates will also discuss the utility and shortcomings of the MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) in the light of its implementation over the last 32 years and make suggestions and recommendations.

The general principles suggested by the Ministry for determination of salary should be:

Salary should not be as low as to defer suitable candidates or so high as to make pay the primary attraction for the job.Salary should reflect level of responsibility; and those with outside interests should not be deterred from entering Parliament; those who chose to make Parliament a full-time career should be adequately rewarded to reflect their responsibilities.

Presently, as per Article 106 of the Constitution of India, salaries of MPs are determined by the Act of 1954, amended from time to time. The last revision in salary of MPs was made in 2010 and MPs presently get a basic salary of Rs.50, 000 per month. Salaries of Members of State Legislatures are decided as per Article 195 of the Constitution.

Since the first All India Whips Conference held in Indore in 1952, periodicity of the Conferences varied mostly from 2 to 11 years. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu has desired to hold Whips Conferences regularly and the 16th such Conference was held last year.